Denver Ignores Columbus In Favour Of Indigenous Peoples Day

Denver City Council celebrates American history and the Native Americans

The Mile High city passes proclamation observing Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Columbus Day.

12th October is now observed as Indigenous People’s Day on Columbus Day across some cities in parts of the U.S. It’s a celebration of the beautiful land and the American Indians who originally blessed it. On Monday Denver City Council unanimously passed the proclamation to the cheer of the crowd in the gallery.

“Today is a very good day to live in Denver,” said Councilman Paul Lopez, who sponsored the proclamation.

In passing the proclamation, Denver joins other cities across the country in observing Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Columbus Day.

“The original story of America had been disregarded and overlooked,” Lopez said, adding that American Indians and their culture are “omitted from the textbooks.”

Recognition of indigenous peoples “should be celebrated and honored in our everyday lives,” he said.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first proposed in 1977 at the United Nations’ International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, according to the proclamation.

The proclamation says Colorado is the ancestral homeland of 48 tribes and the Denver metro area is home to the descendants of about 100 tribal nations. It states that Denver will “continue to promote racial equity and justice for all people and oppose discrimination towards indigenous peoples.”

Maymangwa Flying Earth, cradling a child in her arms, was among those who stepped forward to accept the proclamation.

“It represents very positive footsteps and larger discussions we can have on other issues,” Flying Earth said.